For your safety. How many times has he heard those words?
Jinshi has been living in conditions close to house arrest for over a month. His range of activities was Gyoku’en’s villa. Every now and then, he would be invited to the main residence or the government office, but he would be rigorously flanked by guards. It was impossible to move.
While on the move, he would glance out the carriage and see the wreckage. But normally, it wouldn’t end with this level of ruin.
To a certain extent, Jinshi assumed the locust plague occurring prior to coming to the western capital. He had also looked up literature on past locust plagues. With the crops eaten up, the starved people would even eat people.
When a locust plague breaks out, the country will fall into ruin—words like that weren’t half-baked lies.
And the brunt of it will naturally be directed at the imperial family, Gyoku’ou had said.
Currently, Jinshi’s movements were being restricted by Gyoku’ou. The people around Jinshi didn’t view that pleasant. On the contrary, they would have to be thinking their master is irresolute.
Jinshi has social standing.
He came to inspect the western capital under the title of Imperial Brother. Inspecting, but nothing more than a guest.
If this form could be broken down, it would give rise to risks in the future.
So he had thought, but…
“I think the Prince of the Moon is going out a little too much.”
Chue, who sat across from him, said with a cool expression. He had a single attendant alongside his guards, but it wasn’t Suiren nor Taomei.
It had to do with their ages too, but he brought along the person who can move the best in unforeseen circumstances. This time he had people in long service as his guards. Basen was strong but had a bad affinity with the person they’ll be facing. Basen was the most furious at Jinshi’s treatment in the western capital. No matter his strength, that man needed to be good at controlling his emotions.
“With that, people will think an incompetent rich boy came from the capital to be a foil.” Chue moved her fingers dexterously, interposing a myriad of small beads between her fingers. She was busy making them repeatedly multiply and disappear.
“I know,” he said.
It was for that reason he was currently heading for the government office.
Jinshi was in the position of a guest, but he intended to do what he could in the western capital. He handed over the food supply he had prepared beforehand to be used, which had been immediately put to use. He sent messengers to neighbouring villages to get an understanding of the damages. Depending on the damage, he estimated the required food supply. He thought it was a good thing he brought Baryou, a civil official, with him.
The reason the support from the capital was swift was that a fast horse had been dispatched the moment he received contact from Rahan’s older brother via pigeon. It would be good if they had pigeons now, but he didn’t have any raised in the capital so it can’t be helped. When anything was to happen, it would be good if it was settled as a misunderstanding made by a rich imperial lad.
His Majesty had spoken with a number of authorities and subordinates on their outlook on the possibility of a locust plague. And they also discussed the possibility of it occurring in the western capital.
Which was likely why the relief came faster than expected.
However, it was Jinshi’s own decision to request aid. He had no proof that the locust plague was certainly coming. Thus, he also suggested the chance of the aid ship being refused anchor as the worst-case scenario.
As a result, even if Jinshi had besmirched himself, he decided to hand over his achievement to the man called Gyoku’ou.
As soon as the locust plague came, Gyoku’ou’s messenger came to Jinshi. Jinshi reported his own safety and at the same time, asked if he could request aid from the capital. And he conveyed that he will have Gyoku’ou receive the supplies.
As a result, Gyoku’ou also distributed the food supply that Jinshi had originally brought over.
Jinshi’s subordinates from the capital who knew of the truth were indignant, but this was the western capital. There were not enough workers from Jinshi to distribute himself. He didn’t bring servants to help out with emergency food distribution.
It was fastest to borrow Gyoku’ou’s power for a prompt response.
Human hearts thrown into turmoil due to disaster will grow anxious. Serving a mere bowl of congee and a single rice ball will assuage this anxiety somewhat.
Jinshi had been surprised countless times due to his ignorance of the prices in town, but he felt that he had improved a little this past couple of years.
Even at the wealthy capital, there were starving children begging for food with empty bowls. Streetwalkers covering their faces, trying to draw in customers from the darkness. Parents going to brothels to sell their own children.
While he said inspect, in comparison to looking down from inside the carriage, he could see that walking on foot would be too much.
He wore silk underclothes, ate white congee mixed with nothing, and drank perfectly clear soup every night.
Jinshi wouldn’t starve today either. Was there a point to this social standing of his?
If one had some absurd pride, they should just toss it. If one wanted to stand out and be flattered, they should just make them stand out. Compared to blocking off support out of stubbornness, it was all the easier to be used. No, even Jinshi thought he was the one being used.
It was fine for the emperor’s brother to be incompetent. It was no problem to be treated as a fool by the people too. It was better to exist, set up as a senseless puppet.
What will Basen think once he knows of Jinshi’s thoughts? Even though that man would be hopping mad, he might break things in the room as he was unable to hit Jinshi,
Jinshi, had taken a liking to the name Jinshi. Even if it was an alias created to trick the many flowers in the garden of women and the eunuchs.
More than ‘Ka Zuigetsu*’, a name no one can ever call him by, ‘Jinshi’ that they could say, was better.
(*華瑞月, Hua Ruiyue)
If I can make it easier for people to talk to me. Despite thinking such things, he knew he was aiming too high.
While he was thinking that, they arrived at the government office.
“We’ve arrived.” Chue narrowed her eyes and looked outside.
Jinshi refreshed his emotions.
Being friendly, and being looked down on, were two different things.
.
.
.
There was a round table inside the prepared room.
Gyoku’ou and Rakan were already sitting. Rakan, as if he had nothing to do, was solving go problems.
At the corner of the room, there were some officials carrying documents in wait.
Jinshi’s guards and Chue signalled with their eyes.
From the atmosphere, it was different from last time and the time before the last. More importantly, Jinshi was curious about being at the same seat as Rakan. This genius and whimsical man had a part of him whose actions were difficult to grasp. When Jinshi was being directed to his seat, he wondered.
“My apologies for calling you.” Gyoku’ou stood up.
It was indeed the right answer to not bring Basen along. It can be deemed as arrogance to be sitting when royalty enters a room. By the way, Rakan continued playing his game.
“What business do you have? If it’s about the locust plague, we’ve brought some data,” Jinshi said.
Chue produced some documents.
It detailed the allocation of the food supply calculated by Jinshi’s people. They also investigated hardy plants and fast-growing crops for the moment they run out of supplies. This section was reliant on Maomao and Rahan’s older brother’s knowledge. It assembled what supplies were required to have support following food supply, like medicine, as well.
“Regarding the locust plague, the Prince of the Moon’s assistance has been greatly helpful. I didn’t think support from the capital would have arrived so quickly,” Gyoku’ou replied.
It must have been fast. Since Jinshi requested for support a few days before he notified them.
“Then what is the additional support about?” Jinshi also looked over the document. The current food situation will most likely last two to three months. There were also limits to their support. They will have to grow crops that can be harvested as soon as possible.
“Yes, I wish to request for support. Human support,” Gyoku’ou said.
“Human? What do you mean by that?” Jinshi asked.
They certainly have a shortage of manpower, but they won’t be able to support it by carelessly increasing the number of workers. If he were asking to increase farmers, it would probably be better to educate the local people.
“I wish to request for military officers.”
“Military officers? To suppress the bandits?”
In reality, social inequality shows up from the presence or absence of food supply. The poor will have trouble feeding themselves, racing to crime. The rush for food support was to keep the urge in check by feeding them before they rush headlong into crime.
Gyoku’ou smiled widely. His face didn’t really resemble Gyoku’en’s. Rather than a merchant, a military official; rather than gentle, a brave man.
An official at the back passed a large sheet of paper to Gyoku’ou.
“I want you to take a look at this.” Gyoku’ou spread out the map on the table. It was a map of Isei Province, but there were circles drawn in ink in various places. The circles were divided into red and black. The western side had a lot of red circles.
“Hmmm.” Rakan looked up from his game. “Bandits?”
“Affirmative,” Gyoku’ou said.
The circles appear to indicate where the bandits had appeared.
“Lots of raids from foreign tribes, huh.”
“You immediately understood.” Gyoku’ou looked at Rakan in satisfaction.
In other words, the red circles were the actions of bandits who were thought to be foreign tribes. Isei Province is along the border of the country, but even so, it’s large, Jinshi thought.
“Are they increasing in number?” Jinshi asked.
“Yes. We had many last year too, but there were indeed more than usual this year. We can settle some with the military, but we didn’t think that a locust plague would break out,” Gyoku’ou answered.
Jinshi heard about the talk of pushing forward with the conscription, but he couldn’t say anything now after being told this. Gyoku’ou wasn’t a fool either.
“It’s precisely because there is a locust plague that they will come all the way to Rii. Would it be reasonable to think that?” Gyoku’ou remarked.
Locust plagues cover a vast range. If there were no countermeasure in place, the damage would be extensive. It wouldn’t be odd for other countries to have the same damages.
“So, to suppress the foreign tribes?” Jinshi asked.
There was an incident that happened a few years ago too. That time, they took care of it by merely driving them away. The location wasn’t Isei Province but the western regions of Shihoku Province, wasn’t it?
“No.” Gyoku’ou placed another map on top. This time, it was an expanded view, spanning out to Sha’ou, Hoku’aren, and to Anan too. “Shall we aim for here?” He pointed to Sha’ou.
“…what do you mean?” Jinshi looked at Gyoku’ou for confirmation.
“It is as you can see. It is the west that currently has the greatest damage. With many countries suffering, it would become harder to import produce from other countries. Nevertheless, what will happen when we deliver food to the west overland?”
It’s likely that a sufficient amount will not reach everyone. Also, raids from foreign tribes can, from the start, be considered as invasions by other countries.
“What would be the fastest method to deliver food in the west? I believe it is not by land, but by sea,” Gyoku’ou said.
And Sha’ou was the centre of trade. Its connections are good, whether land or sea. Certainly, when considering a stable supply of food, it would be easy if they could make free use of Sha’ou’s ports.
“Waging war because of that?” Jinshi took everything he could to hold back from raising his voice. He was fine with getting his achievements stolen from him, but this statement, he couldn’t accept.
To think, plundering was the thing to do to not let the people starve.
With this, they would be no different from bandits.
“Oh? Are you opposing? More than anything, in regards to Sha’ou, I remember it would be the Prince of the Moon who has a just cause.” Gyoku’ou’s words were brimming with self-confidence.
Jinshi knew what the man was talking about. Gyoku’ou was pointing out the Sha’ou priestess.
Officially, Jinshi had put the Sha’ou Priestess to death, and due to that, Sha’ou was in the position of debt.
In reality, the priestess was alive. Sheltered off the record. Gyoku’ou probably doesn’t know about it, though.
“The one who killed the priestess is a former Sha’ou woman. Even if she had entered the inner palace as a mid-ranking consort, something a foreign woman did has been deemed entirely Rii’s fault. I am uncertain what to take of it,” Gyoku’ou said.
Certainly from the perspective of those around Jinshi, it would be a one-sided loss. Furthermore, the imperial family would have lost face.
“Sha’ou’s purpose was to threaten Rii by killing their priestess. Wouldn’t that be enough as a justification for war, Imperial Prince-dono?”
A justification for war could be anything depending on the era. The imperial family losing face–that alone was reason enough to massacre an entire clan.
“What do you think, Rakan-dono?” Gyoku’ou asked Rakan.
Rakan stared at the map. He regarded it as he was playing a board game. He extended a hand out towards his adjutant and received a pouch. It seems the pouch contained shogi pieces.
“I don’t know what justification. I’m just winning through shogi,” he said, starting to arrange game pieces on the map. His adjutant looked at Jinshi apologetically.
Rakan has no ill will. But he has no good will either. He won’t care about it, unless his family or himself were in danger’s path. If there was an opportunity to participate in a fun game, he probably won’t let it escape him.
Jinshi understood the reason Rakan was invited.
“If it is waged in the name of the Prince of the Moon, that alone will surely raise the morale of the people of the west,” Gyoku’ou said.
This was the reason he invited Jinshi.
“Don’t you want everyone to see you not as a guest, but as a leader?”
Gyoku’ou misunderstood. Does he think that Jinshi wanted to publicise his own position? Or was he appealing to his pride as royalty?
“During that time, with my body and soul, I’ll become your right hand.” The man’s dazzling gaze was piercing. Was he really related to Empress Gyokuyou?
His eyes said that he cannot help it, with the want to wage war.
“….even if we summon military officers, we’ll need people for war,” Jinshi said.
“Yes, in the western lands, we have many loyal people. Even if they are farmers, during an emergency, we have many people who can lend their power. With Imperial Prince-dono as the leader, and with Rakan-dono’s tactics. And, although we have little power, with the You(楊, Yang) clan as advisors.”
“You clan, huh.”
Gyoku’en was a former merchant, but he has power all over Isei Province.
Jinshi narrowed his eyes. “Then, does Gyoku’en-dono know about this?”
For an instant, Gyoku’ou’s brows twitched. “My father had mentioned in the past: ‘If we can extend our hands to the lands of Sha’ou.’”
“Hoh, then he still doesn’t know, you mean?” Jinshi replied coolly. He recalled the time he was in the inner palace, the frightening abode of women. But, compared to women’s lies, he could find so much fault with men’s bragging. “Certainly, when you consider the sea route, you’d want the ports of Sha’ou so badly you can taste it. But it comes with too much risk. What about the country that faces Sha’ou on the land route? The goods from there won’t be able to come in, then. Also, I find fault with attacking a country that upholds neutrality. If it were Gyoku’en-dono, I think he would calculate all that properly.”
Gyoku’en was a former merchant. He won’t just see the profits before his eyes. He should confirm the risks properly. Even if he received a letter of discussion from his son, he should advise that it was premature.
Gyoku’ou’s eyes wavered when Gyoku’en’s name was mentioned.
Then Jinshi felt the air of discontent surrounding Gyoku’ou.
Jinshi’s countenance didn’t ease. Gyoku’ou probably saw him, despite being the emperor’s brother, as a youngster who has lived half his life. He was probably trying to press in through the situation, but….
“I am here as the representative of the capital. And at the same time, as His Majesty’s eyes. Wouldn’t it be suspicious if His eyes willfully became the banner for war?” Jinshi implored.
At the words ‘His Majesty’ the officials waiting at the back showed a tinge of discomposure. All the officials were people of the western capital. That is, supporters of Gyoku’ou, who probably see Jinshi as a dunce.
If the dunce opposes their master, it would have to make a stir too.
Even Gyoku’ou couldn’t easily remain nonchalant. “Then, you are His Majesty’s eyes. So does that mean you are unable to pass judgement yourself?”
It was indeed the right answer to not bring Basen.
“I’ll say it because he is passing judgement. Upon attacking Sha’ou, we calculated that we would suffer more losses than gains. Did everyone make those calculations? If you’re a merchant, you’ll be good at it.” Jinshi said it provocatively on purpose. He was completely within Gyoku’ou’s domain. Even Jinshi didn’t want to have a losing argument. He just wanted to protect himself. “Firstly, if we were to attack Sha’ou, Hoku’aren won’t be silent.”
“Are you saying you are afraid of the gathering of the barbarians of the north?” Gyoku’ou remarked.
“Yeah. We are indebted to the red deer that can be caught in Hoku’aren. The deer’s antlers make a good aphrodisiac. It is a good medicine that is prepared every night for His Majesty and his consorts in the inner palace,” Jinshi replied, also inflicting damage to himself. It was easy to fend off provocation.
“And the tiger too,” he continued. “There are large tigers in the lands of the north. Its bones are made into wine.”
It was called Tiger Bone Wine. Good as a nutritional supplement.
It goes without saying that Jinshi has become knowledgeable in medicine.
“A court physician well-versed in medicine has taught me that, so its efficacy has been greatly strengthened.“
She wasn’t a court physician in truth, but his words were probably conveyed to the person he wanted to hear. Again, he had no idea if the efficacy was true. Medicinal cooking of that sort was left to the chefs of the inner palace.
“Medicine, and wine, huh,” Rakan muttered. “Hey, Onsou. Once war begins, will those medicines be unobtainable?”
“I don’t think they’ll be unobtainable, but it’ll probably become extremely expensive. Since war itself will make medicine scarce. The doctors and herbalists will likely be badly off,” Onsou replied.
“Is that so?” Rakan returned the shogi pieces back into the pouch and stood up.
“What will it be, Rakan-dono?” Gyoku’ou asked.
“Sorry. I’m leaving,” Rakan said, then turned his back.
“Rakan-sama, please wait.” The adjutant called Onsou chased after Rakan’s footsteps.
Seeing the people of the western capital baffled, Jinshi also got up. “It seems Tactician-dono isn’t in the mood for war. Can I leave too?” he asked.
Gyoku’ou said nothing.
Jinshi took his leave.
“He looks frustrated,” Chue whispered.
Unfortunately, Jinshi was very familiar with Rakan’s personality.
